Update Recommended: Firefox 3.0.8

The Mozilla project has released version 3.0.8 of the web browser Firefox. The updated version is most noteworthy in that it rectifies prior security issues.

One such issue is that Firefox was previously prone to crashes due to manipulation via the XUL tree element (MFSA 2009-13). With such browser crashes, the code could be accessed by third parties meaning ill-will and malicious code thus executed.

The other fixed breaches in security relate to the processing of certain XSL stylesheets(MFSA 2009-12). These issues are also related to the possiblity of a crash and its accompanying susceptibility to malicious code. This problem point was also encountered by the mail browser suite Seamonkey, which was remedied with its updated version 1.1.16.

The new Firefox release is ready for download. Users still employing Firefox 2.0.0x are urged by the manufacturer to update their systems ASAP to 3.0.x, as the old line of development will no longer offer security updates.

Following security fixes for Firefox, Camino & Co, the developers of the Thunderbird email client have now taken steps to remove known vulnerabilities, closing down five security holes, one of which was and classified as critical.